8. Entertaining Spaces - Patio, Deck & Verandah Setup

Best for

Patios, decks, verandahs, alfresco areas, BBQ zones, outdoor entertaining spaces, and cleanable hard-surface areas

Main problem solved

Dogs dragging bones through guest areas, leaving mess near furniture, or turning entertaining spaces into chew-and-drool zones

Primary setup

BoneZone® used as a controlled chew station with a fixed BaseMount, suitable wall mount, post mount, or removable Clamp-Post

Best dog type

Small to large dogs, provided the patio/deck surface and mounting method suit the dog’s strength

Setup style

Clean, controlled, removable or low-footprint setup for outdoor living areas

Video

🎥 Add setup video link / icon here

BoneZone® alloy Clamp-Post / pole

Main vertical support for the jaw assembly

Fixed BaseMount, Versatile Wall Mounts, or suitable post mount

Supports the Clamp-Post depending on the chosen patio, deck, or verandah location

Suitable screws, bolts, anchors, or straps

Secure the setup to the selected surface or structure where appropriate

Plunger pin / height-locking pin

Sets and locks the working height

BoneZone® jaw assembly

Holds the bone, chew, or treat

BiteLock™ jaw insert, where suitable

Helps grip irregular bones, round bones, or awkward chew shapes

Spill mats

Helps contain mess, drool, blood, crumbs, marrow, and bone fragments

Optional tray or outdoor mat

Adds extra protection for tiles, decking, pavers, or sealed surfaces

Cleaning bucket and stiff nylon brush

Useful for cleaning clamp parts, mats, and surrounding surfaces

Surface strength

The surface or structure must be strong enough to resist pulling, twisting, and dog movement.

Surface type

Suitable areas may include concrete patios, tiled outdoor areas, structural decking, verandah floors, posts, or solid walls.

Surface condition

Avoid loose tiles, cracked concrete, rotten decking, thin boards, hollow panels, loose pavers, or unstable surfaces.

Guest movement

Keep the setup away from walkways, dining tables, BBQs, doors, steps, pool gates, and seating areas.

Dog position

The dog should be able to chew with all four feet on the ground and its neck/back in a natural posture.

Food hygiene

Keep raw bones and messy chews away from cooking, serving, dining, and food-preparation areas.

Floor protection

Use a spill mat, tray, or washable outdoor mat to protect tiles, decking, pavers, or sealed surfaces.

Trip hazard

Consider the BaseMount, Clamp-Post, mat, bone, and dog position before guests arrive.

Supervision

BoneZone® is a controlled chew station, not an unsupervised feeding device.

1

Choose the location

Select a cleanable patio, deck, verandah, or outdoor area that gives your dog space without blocking people, furniture, doors, steps, or BBQ zones.

2

Choose the mounting method

Use a fixed BaseMount, suitable wall mount, post mount, or other secure arrangement that matches the surface and the dog’s strength.

3

Check the surface or structure

Make sure the surface is strong enough. Avoid loose tiles, thin decking, weak posts, hollow panels, or cracked concrete.

4

Check what is behind or underneath

Before drilling or fixing, make sure there are no pipes, cables, waterproofing membranes, irrigation lines, electrical services, or hidden hazards.

5

Install the mount securely

Secure the BaseMount or mounts using suitable screws, bolts, anchors, straps, or fixings for the surface or structure.

6

Insert the Clamp-Post

Drop the alloy Clamp-Post into the mount and confirm it is seated correctly and locked where required.

7

Set the height

Use the index plunger pin fixed to the lower jaw frame to set the jaw assembly at a comfortable chewing height for your dog.

8

Add spill protection

Place a washable spill mat, tray, or outdoor mat underneath the chew zone before adding raw bones or messy chews.

9

Check guest clearance

Make sure the setup does not block walkways, seating, food areas, stairs, doors, pool gates, or high-traffic zones.

10

Test before use

Pull the pole and jaw assembly firmly by hand. If anything moves, stop and improve the fixing before giving the dog a bone.

11

Add the bone or chew

Load the bone into the jaws using the bone-loading instructions below.

12

Clean or remove after use

Remove leftovers, clean the jaws, wash the mat, and remove the Clamp-Post where suitable to return the area to normal use.

1

Choose a suitable bone or chew

Use an appropriate bone, raw meaty bone, air-dried chew, or pet-safe chew suitable for your dog’s size, chewing style, dental condition, and diet.

2

Choose entertaining-space-appropriate items

If guests are present, consider lower-mess chews or air-dried items instead of high-smell raw bones.

3

Find the best clamping point

Choose the thicker or more stable section of the bone. Avoid clamping only the thinnest, sharpest, or most brittle end.

4

Select the jaw face

Use the jaw face or BiteLock™ arrangement that gives the best grip without crushing the bone unnecessarily.

5

Place the bone into the jaws

Position the bone so your dog can chew naturally without biting too close to the clamp faces, striking the pole, or pushing mess beyond the mat.

6

Tighten the jaws

Tighten until the bone is firmly held and cannot be easily pulled free by hand. Do not overtighten fragile bones.

7

Check dog access

Your dog should be able to chew from a comfortable stance with all four feet on the ground and its neck/back in a natural posture.

8

Check mat coverage

Make sure the chew zone underneath catches drool, crumbs, marrow, bone fragments, and fluids.

9

Supervise the first session

Watch how your dog interacts with the setup. Adjust clamp, angle, jaw position, mat position, or height if needed.

10

Remove leftovers

Remove bone remnants when the session is finished, especially raw bones or anything that may spoil or smell.

11

Clean the area

Wipe down the jaws, Clamp-Post, mount, mat, tray, and surrounding floor. A bucket of warm soapy water and a stiff nylon brush is great for cleaning clamp parts.

Guest safety

Keep the setup away from walkways, tables, chairs, BBQs, stairs, doorways, and areas where people may trip or step around the dog.

Children and visitors

Keep children and visitors away from active chew sessions, especially when raw bones or high-value chews are being used.

Food hygiene

Do not place raw bones near cooking, serving, dining, or food-preparation areas.

Surface protection

Use a spill mat or tray to protect tiles, decking, pavers, sealed concrete, or outdoor rugs.

Timber decking

Only mount into strong structural timber. Avoid thin decking boards, rotten timber, soft timber, or loose boards.

Waterproofing

Be careful drilling into tiled areas, balconies, rooftops, or waterproofed surfaces. Seek professional advice where needed.

Trip hazard

Remove the Clamp-Post when not in use if the area is used by people. Be mindful of any remaining BaseMount.

Odour control

Smell is controlled by bone choice, ventilation, session length, and cleanup. Lower-mess chews may be better when entertaining.

Hardware chewing

Do not allow dogs to chew the Clamp-Post, jaw assembly, BaseMount, straps, mounts, padding, mat edges, or fixings.

Supervision

Always supervise chewing, especially around guests, children, other pets, or food areas.

Guests have to step around the setup

The chew station is too close to a walkway, table, doorway, BBQ, or seating area

Move the setup to a quieter edge of the patio or remove the Clamp-Post when entertaining.

Mess spreads beyond the mat

Mat is too small, bone is angled outward, or dog is chewing from the wrong position

Use a larger spill mat or tray, reposition the jaw angle, and centre the chew over the protected area.

The area smells during entertaining

Raw bone, high-smell chew, heat, poor airflow, or slow cleanup

Use lower-mess chews when guests are present, keep sessions shorter, improve airflow, and clean immediately after use.

The dog can pull the bone loose

Bone is clamped on the wrong section, jaw face is not gripping well, or jaws are not tight enough

Reposition the bone, clamp on a thicker section, use a better jaw face/BiteLock™ arrangement, then retest by hand. Try to trap bones between two large ends to prevent slide-out.

The mount moves under load

Fixings are weak, surface is unsuitable, or dog is too strong for the installation

Stop using the setup until it is properly secured. Move to concrete, structural timber, fixed base, or another stronger mounting scenario.

The setup marks tiles or decking

Bone fluids, marrow, drool, straps, mounts, or mat edges are contacting sensitive surfaces

Use a waterproof mat or tray, clean immediately, and avoid raw bones on surfaces that stain or absorb fluids.

The floor becomes slippery

Drool, marrow, blood, fat, water, or cleaning residue is spreading across hard surfaces

Use a better mat or tray, clean immediately, and dry the surface before people or dogs walk through.

The dog blocks the entertaining area

The station is too close to seating, doors, BBQs, steps, or social areas

Move the chew station to a quieter corner where the dog can still be nearby without being in the traffic flow.

The dog targets the hardware

Bone is too close to the clamp, dog is frustrated, or hardware is within easy mouth reach

Reposition the bone, raise or adjust the jaw assembly, and supervise closely. Stop use if the dog targets BoneZone® parts.

Other dogs crowd the station

Guests have brought dogs, or another household dog is attracted to the chew

Use separate stations, increase distance, or remove other dogs from the area during the session.

Ants or insects appear

Bone residue, smell, or fragments remain after the session

Clean immediately, remove waste properly, wash the mat, and avoid leaving bones or scraps in entertaining areas.

The dog looks uncomfortable

Jaw height is too high, too low, too close to the wall, or too close to furniture

Adjust the jaw to chest/shoulder-friendly height and create more clearance around the chewing area.